Category Archives: Writing

Balancing Act

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Outtakes 229

Balancing Act

by Cait Collins

I’m having an issue with balancing my writing tasks. I start working on the edits for one novel, and realize I’m behind on writing new chapters for the current work. I can’t decide if my memoir is complete as is or does it need one more chapter. And what about that idea for another work? Sometime I feel as if I’m creatively tapped out. So how do I balance career, my creative side, and my editor side?

Maybe I can clone myself into three or four personas and get the work done. Only I’m not sure I’d get much more done. You see clones might have personalities that war with the other clones. Perhaps the editor clone wants to become the romantic suspense writer. And then the romantic suspense writer wants to write memoirs. And then the memoir writer clone wants to quit writing completely.

Time for plan B. Set up a schedule. Write on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Work edits on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday and Sunday are reserved for cleaning house, worship, and family. The solution isn’t perfect and will probably need adjustments along the way, but it’s a start toward reducing the stress I often feel when trying to juggle too many tasks.

Pressing On

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Pressing On 

Rory C Keel

Today I’m spending time reassessing last year’s writing goals.

I have made it a custom to take the time at the beginning of each year to evaluate my writing and see where I accomplished my goals, and examine where I fell short of my expectations.

I confess—I failed to meet ALL of my goals.

While this may seem like defeat to some, it really isn’t. The truth is, I did exceed some goals and didn’t reach others. My novel is not finished, but my goals of submitting other works were achieved and rewarded with paid publication.

This year I will set my writing bar high and reach for it, and any goals not met will be closer and easier to reach the next time.

My number one Goal is to finish my novel. Secondly, is to submit ten smaller pieces of writing to various publications. Thirdly, there is a need to constantly improve in the writing craft. So, I will read and study at least one book on writing and attend one or more presentation on writing.

So, I’m pressing on.

Most Memorable Books 2015

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Most Memorable Books 2015

Natalie Bright

New York Times Bestselling author Jodi Thomas tells her students to set aside time to write every day, and that reading works by other writers is just as important. Just as we can recognize the musical strains of jazz or bluegrass or hip hop, so too must writers be able to recognize and learn from reading brilliant prose.

Here are a few of my most memorable reads of the past year:

RANSOM CANYON by Jodi Thomas. (Harlequin) Not because she’s a local Amarillo author and a friend, but because she’s done it again with this new series set in the heart of Texas. The cast of characters in the world of West Texas ranching makes for good entertainment.

WHITE STALLION OF LIPIZZA by Marguerite Henry. (Aladdin) Engaging story about a boy’s dream to work with the world famous Lipizzaner horses. Many of Marguerite Henry’s books have been reissued for today’s readers. It is my deepest inspiration to be able to write with as much emotion and clarity as Ms. Henry. At first glance they seem like simple stories, but as writers we can appreciate the complexities of her talent.

FIRST BLOOD by David Morrell. (Hachette Book Group) In 1982 Rambo hit the big screen. I have to admit that I was over my crush by Movie #3, but now my boys are huge fans. I heard the “father of Rambo” speak at a writers conference and he signed two copies of FIRST BLOOD for my boys. They were so thrilled with his autograph, they refused to loan me a book to read and I had to settle for an eBook version. The writing blew me away. It’s a vivid, often times violent tale, with a great lesson in how to write suspense. I’m forever more a huge fan of Mr. Morrell.

GIRL ON A WIRE by Gwenda Bond. (Skyscape) Unique twist on the age old Romeo and Juliet scenario set in the fascinating grit of a traveling circus. The tight wire scenes are fantastic writing.

WILD RAN THE RIVERS by James Crownover. (Five Star Publishing) Told in the unique style from the point of view of a young women and her young brother, their story pulls you in from the beginning. The imagery of the old west proves a well-researched historical story. I love books that make we want to learn more about the time period and place. The scenes involving the New Madrid earthquakes (1811-1812) are edge of your seat storytelling. Well-deserved winner of two prestigious SPUR awards from the Western Writers of America for best historical and best first novel.

SAILING WITH IMPUNITY by Mary E. Trimble. (nonfiction, Shelter Graphics) Sailing the Pacific is something I can’t foresee doing in my life-time, so this book is the next best thing. If you’ve ever dreamed about sailing the high seas, you will love this book. Learn about the prefect sail boat, the preparation, maritime regulations. Experience the isolation, details of daily living, the islands, and the people. An unforgettable read.

ALL FALL DOWN by Ally Carter. (Scholastic) If you’ve ever wondered about the young adult genre, start with this one. Set in Embassy Row the main character is the grand-daughter of a powerful ambassador. Filled with a teenaged world-view of complications and angst, there’s also a mystery to be solved.

GEORGE WASHINGTON SECRET SIX by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger. (Penguin Group) Another standout nonfiction book for me about “the spy ring that saved the American Revolution”. The book flap indicates that this story is based on extensive research and there’s no doubt. It inspired me to keep writing on my story idea set in pre-revolutionary times and made me realize how much more research I need to do.

TEXAS MAIL ORDER BRIDE by Linda Broday (Bachelors of Battle Creek Series). (Sourcebooks) Also from an Amarillo author and friend, this is a new series about cowboys, the old west, and sweet romance. What more could you possibly want in a story?

We’d love to know about some of your standout reads in the past year.

Thanks for following WordsmithSix!

 

New Year, New Goals

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

New Year, New Goals

By Nandy Ekle

We are one week into the new year and I am just now getting around to thinking about my goals for this year.

This past year brought a lot of adventure and some frustrations. I struggled with decisions regarding my health, I lived through a wild midnight storm which ravaged my house (in the words of my grandson, “Nana, your house is broke”). Because of this we worked with insurances and contractors to repair the damage, and actually came out ahead with a lot of upgrades. A few family problems, the health issues, and the culmination of that right before the Christmas/New Year holidays. And, of course, Christmas and New Year found us traveling to visit our children and our parents.

Needless to say, my writing has suffered. Oh, that’s a vast understatement. My writing has nearly completely stopped. And that, my dear Word Smith Six followers, is the source of tons of frustration.

So. We are one week into the new year. The time has come to pack all that away in a box and hide it under the bed. The time has come to look ahead and find the inspiration and the voices begging to be converted to words.

And so, beloved followers, I will make this promise. I will write a new original blog each week. I will not allow a Freaky Friday to go by without new words appearing on this blog site.

And the other side of my promise is to write at least 1000 words a day. They might not necessarily be intelligible words, but they will be my words. And according to the experts, this should strike that flame again.

Comment below and tell me about your writing goals for the 2016 year. I am very interested to hear about them.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

Writing in “Dr. No”

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Writing in “Dr. No”

by Adam Huddleston

In my last blog, I mentioned how I was planning to watch all of the James Bond movies in chronological order and try to analyze the writing in each. Although I did not plan on making this a continuing blog, I figured, “why not?”

The first movie in the series is “Dr. No”. Filmed in 1962 and starring Sean Connery as 007, the motion picture is quite entertaining. It introduces many aspects of the “Bond” series that will be seen in future installments. These include his preference for martinis that are shaken, not stirred, an opening credits that incorporates a camera shot down the barrel of a gun, and of course, the always beautiful “Bond-girl”.

As far as writing goes, it was fairly well done. Being a British film, a lot of the dialogue included British terms and phrases. Each character’s lines (their voice) were distinct. Overall it was a very fun movie.

Next week: “From Russia with Love”

Please Proofread

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Outtakes 228

Please Proofread

by Cait Collins

Whatever happened to proofreading? I get emails from business associates that are full of errors. Business letters are conversational instead of professional. Even books contain typo’s. Be honest, social media has contributed to the sloppy presentations. I might send a text message to a sister asking “R u going…”, but I would never text my manager saying “Flat tire. B in when fixed.” Poor grammar and casual conversation is not the image I want to portray in my business communications. A few extra minutes to confirm my correspondence is grammatically correct and in the proper business style will protect my image. I will also ask a co-worker to “snark check”on emails written when I’m upset. Again, protect the image.

By the same token, I would not send a manuscript to an agent or editor without careful proofreading. Because I’m close to the work I might not catch every misspelling or misused punctuation mark. So I rely on my critique group and beta readers to check me so that the final product is the best I can provide. Failure to properly proof the submission could result in rejection of the manuscript. But worse, in my opinion, would be acquiring a reputation for being lazy and careless.

When we complete the edits on a chapter or an article, why not take a few minutes to print the pages and read the work out loud to check for errors? Often it’s easier to hear the mistake than to see it. The writer should employ the proofreading method that works best for him in order to develop a reputation for being both accurate and professional. While a clean submission is no guarantee of a contract, it will up the odds in your favor.

 

PROMISES, PROMISES

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PROMISES, PROMISES

Rory C. Keel 

Can you make a promise? As a writer, a promise creates excitement, suspense and develops an appetite that pushes the reader to satisfy their curiosity. Promises drive the reader into the book to find out how the promises made, will be kept.

One way to make a promise in writing is to make a direct promise. A direct promise is where the writer draws the reader in and then immediately fulfills the promise before making another one.

A second way is to make an interlinking chain of promises. Before one promise is delivered another one is made. New promises are constantly being added before old ones are kept. In this way the promises are interlinked holding the readers interest.

So this year, make some promises in your writing.

READ THE BEST BOOKS…

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READ THE BEST BOOKS…

Natalie Bright

“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.”

-HENRY DAVID THOREAU

 

As I purge some of the oldest eBooks off of my Kindle, I feel a deep sense of guilt. When it comes to books, I find it extremely difficult to part ways, no matter the format. And then I read this quote from Thoreau. He’s absolutely right.

There are so many good novels out there, and thanks to the ads encouraging us to “Write and Publish your Book this Weekend!”, there’s lots of bad stuff out there too.

In the New Year, I solemnly swear to not waste time on less than quality stories. If I can’t get past the first chapter, its not worth my time.

I solemnly swear to craft stories to the best of my ability, and to not submit until every word is the right word. With the help of my WordsmithSix critique group, that’s doable too.

That is all.

May you achieve all that you dream about in 2016. Happy New Year!

Writing in the James Bond Movies

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Writing in the James Bond Movies

by Adam Huddleston

For Christmas this year, my lovely bride gifted me a boxed set of all of the James Bond movies up to “Skyfall”. While the 007 motion pictures are known for their action and suspense, I can’t wait to dig into each movie to see how well they are written. My plan is to watch every film in the series chronologically from their release date. While I’m enjoying the harrowing escapes and cool gadgets, I’m looking to see if the dialogue sparks.

What are some of your favorite movies? If you are a writer, have you ever watched those films as a literary critic? I encourage everyone to try it. It can only strengthen your writing chops.

2016

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Outtakes 227

2016

by Cait Collins

About this time every year people begin making resolutions. We plan to do this, quit that, or finish something, but before many weeks pass, the resolutions are forgotten. Therefore, I resolve not to resolve. In other words, I will not make resolutions for 2016. However, I do plan to write better and write smarter.

Writing better means…

Removing unnecessary modifiers from my work and replacing them with more vivid nouns and action verbs.

I will create better setting using photographs to guide my words.

I will not skimp on the research. This may mean using “place holders” while I do the research and continue the creative process.

I will not stress over little things like names, color of eyes, or height. I will let the small stuff reveal itself and then edit. I will get the story down and fill in the blanks later. This will be a working draft that I will use to craft the manuscript, but it will not be presented to my critique group.

I will time-line and character-sketch, but I will not outline.

I will not force the process. If I can’t seem to move forward in the story, I’ll take a break and do something else creative. I have a new book of 500 Writing Prompts. Maybe I’ll describe my Sweet 16 birthday or perhaps I’ll open one of my adult coloring books and create beauty.

Writing smarter means…

The first draft will be better and more reader-ready. I will no longer hide behind excuses like “I had this idea and just had to get it on paper.” I’ve used that line with my critique group on too many occasions. No more excuses.

I will not wait until the last minute to prepare for a critique meeting. No more writing my chapter on my lunch break and then rushing home to print it.

I will not pre-plan or over-write the story to the point it has lost its life and emotion.

While I prefer books for my research, I will make better use of on-line sources for fast answers

I will stop trying to juggle three or four projects at a time.

This is not a resolution for 2016; it is a plan to make myself more productive and less frustrated. I anticipate I will finish the edits on my memoir and make good progress on my new work, Three by Three, if I stick to the plan.

I wish all writers a productive and prosperous New Year.